Bundle binding machine



8 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR Q 2,687,082

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet l J .l w m A. E. CRANSTON, SR

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Aug. 24, 1954 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1948 & w my M E mm mm W! Z r a w 5 g- 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR 2,687,082

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HLBERT E. len/vsro/yfi Aug. 24,, 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19. 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet -5 Allg- 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, sR' 2,687,082

' BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 5 A. E. CRANSTON, sR 2,687,082

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19. 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 200 5 172 l 205 I TA- I /32 /.'9/

INVENTOR.

14. .5527 E. (kn/vs 019! Aug. 24, I954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR 2,637,082

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 mmvroza. 4LBEIZT (EqN S TOIV JK BY 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR 2,687,082

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 I 13 Sheets-Sheet ll v lllllllllllll! & flllllllll lmlllllllli;

IN V EN TOR. 141.552 7 E CAM/70,143,:

g- 1954 A. E. CRANSTON, SR 2,687,032

BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 12' V A I INVENTOR.

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irzgeaww Aug. 24, 1954" Filed July 19, 1948 A. E. CRANSTON, SR 2,687,082 BUNDLE BINDING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet l3 Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Albert E. Cranston, Sr., Oak Grove, Oreg.

Application July 19. 1948,Serial No. 39,568

This invention relates to improvements in bundle binding machines of those kinds that operate to draw a strand of wire from a continuous supply and to lay a band thereof about a bundle, under tension and in a manner whereby opposite end portions of the band are brought into overlapped relationship within a twister gear which operates to twist the overlapped ends together in a flat knot to secure the band.

More specifically, this invention has to do with improvements in binding machines of the character above stated whereinthe wire strand laying means comprises a reversible, rotatably driven ring, within which the bundle is located for binding, and on which ring, Wire guiding sheaves are mounted for drawing wire from a supply and progressively laying a band thereof about the bundle, under tension, as the ring rotates. The invention relates especially to the type of machine wherein the direction of rotation of the ring is automatically reversed for each successive binding operation.

Explanatory to the present invention, it will here be stated that one of the present day, well known types of machines of the reversible ring type is that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,875,260, issued August 30, 1932, to G. D. Parker. one direction, electric motor is the prime mover for all the operating parts, and the band laying In the machine of that patent, a

40 Claims. (Cl. 100-28) means comprises an externally toothed ring gear that is driven by the motor, through a rather intricate system of gears and clutches which operate in combination with automatic devices for reversing the direction of rotation of the ring gear upon completion of each binding operation.

Another machine of the reversible ring type is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,124,770, issued to Charles E. Evans on July 26, 1938, designed to bind bundles with rope. The machine therein shown is driven by a one-way electric motor and, like the above Parker machine is operated through a rather intricate system of gears, brakes and clutches.

'It has been one of the main objects of this invention to provide a bundle binding machine of aiully automatic type, utilizing a reversible wire training ring, and having the same general mode of operation as the machines of the Parker or Evans patents above noted,for laying a band of wire, under tension, about a bundle; but in which said ring is directly driven by a reversible electric motor instead of a one-way motor, that in turn is controlled bya reversing switch operated through use of devices applied directly to the reversible ring. 'A further principal object is to provide .a machine wherein operating parts are reduced to a minimum and weight of the machine materially reduced below that of present day machines which do the same work.

Other important objects are to provide a rotary carrier type of binding machine in which the operations of the band grippers and the knotter mechanism are also controlled and coordinated by the movement of the rotary carrier to perform a sequence of binding operations, to provide a novel form and arrangement of control members for actuation by the carrier, to provide a novel form of gripper operating mechanism, to provide a novel independent driving arrangement for the knotter mechanism, and to provide an improved knotter mechanism comprising a novel twister gear and novel wire gripping, cutting and ejector devices for disengaging the twisted knot and the band from the twister gear slot.

Still further objects of the invention reside in details of construction of various parts embodied in the machine, in the combination and relationship of parts and their mode of operation as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved apparatus described in the following specification with reference to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are intended merely. to illustrate theprinciples of theinvention, as various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts,and certain parts may be used without others, all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims being included in the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation View of the present binding machine showing the receiving side of the machine;

Figure 1a is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the yieldable 10st motion connection between the crank arm and pitman for driving the knotter mechanism;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation View of the machine showing the discharge side and control devices actuated by the band laying ring;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the independent drive for the knotter mechanism taken on the line 3- -3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, on the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the clutch mechanism shown in Figure 4, with certain parts broken away;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the upper portion of the machine frame as seen from the discharge side, showing the location of the wire training ring therein and the pawls as applied to the ring for the actuation of devices which time the operation of various parts and effect the automatic reversing of the ring for successive binding operations;

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a front View of one of the switch actuating pawls;

Figure 10 is a top view of the pawl as shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a top, or plan view of the machine;

Figure 12 is an enlarged, plan or 1301 view of one set of controls to be operated by a pawl on the ring in one direction of rotation of the ring;

Figure 13 is the left elevation of the machine, with reference to Figure 1, showing the knotter mechanism and control devices at that end;

Figure 14 is an enlarged, elevational View of control devices and switches at that end of the machine shown in Figure 13;

Figures 15, 16, 17 and 18 are vertical sections at reduced scale, on the lines l5-l5, 16-16,

"-11 and 18-18, respectively, in Figure 14;

Figure 19 is an enlarged elevation of the knotter, gripper and wire cutter mechanisms as seen from that side of the machine shown in Figure 13;

Figure 20 is a vertical section on line 20-20 in Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a top view of the knotter mechanism showing the gear train for driving the twister gear;

Figures 22 and 23 show in plan view the stationary and movable parts of the grippers G-l and G-Z, respectively;

Figure 23a is a detail of gripper jaws;

Figure 24 is a horizontal section on line 24-24 in Figure 19;

Figure 25 is a detail showing the cutter shoe as advanced from the position of Figure 24 to wire cutting position, and in dotted lines as advanced to ejecting position;

Figure 26 is a vertical section on line 25-25 in Figure 24;

Figure 27 is a horizontal sectional detail on line 27-21 in Figure 19, showing the retracting means for the band support;

Figure 27a is a perspective view of the cutter shifting cam shaft;

Figure 28 is a cross section on line 28-28 in Figure 2'7;

Figure 29 is an elevation of the twister gear as applied to its supports;

Figure 30 is a section of the twister gear on line 36-30 in Figure 29;

Figure 31 is an upper end view of the twister gear as mounted by blocks which form a mouth to the gear slot;

Figures 32-33 and 34 are diagrammatic views, illustrating the relationship of twister gear and grippers to a bundle-and progressively illustrating the training of a wire strand about a bundle by the ring in turning in counter-clockwise direction;

Figures 35, 36 and 37 show the position of the grippers relative to the twister .gear when the bundle binding cycle. grippers are timed directly from the band layband laying ring is in the positions of Figures 34-35-36, respectively; and

Figure 38 is a wiring diagram of the electrical control system.

General description Briefly described, the present machine comprises a table-like frame structure across which the bundles, or boxes, to be bound may be advanced to and supported in position for binding. A wire training ring is supported in a vertical plane, transversely of the direction of and encircling the bundle passage, and is rotatably driven by a belt that is applied directly thereabout. At one side of the bundle passage, and operatively supported from stationary, bundle guide plates defining that side wall of the passage, are the wireholding and knotter mechanisms, including two vertically spaced grippers designed, respectively, to hold and receive the opposite end portions of a wire band as laid by the ring about a bundle. Between the grippers is a slotted twister gear that receives the overlapped end portions of the band, as laid about the bundle by the ring, for twisting them together.

Mounted on the ring, at one side, are guide sheaves whereby, with the rotation of the ring in either direction, the wire strand, as held at one end in one of the grippers, may be drawn from a source of wire supply, trained under tension about the bundle, and its opposite end portions laid in overlapped relationship in the slot of the twister gear preparatory to their being twisted together.

The band laying ring, whichis reversed in 'direction of rotation for successive binding operations, is driven through a direct belt connection with a reversible electric motor and the reversing of the motor for successive binding cycles is automatically effected under control of a reversing switch that, in turn, is controlled by means comprising two limit switches mounted adjacent the ring and actuated by devices carried on the ring itself, to stop the motor at the end of each Also, the actions of the ing ring. The knotter mechanism, wire cutters and ejector devices are herein associated as a unit and are operated by a separate motor through a clutch device that is timed in operation from the wire laying ring.

Each binding cycle is started by the manual closing of a switch to energize the reversible motor and is completed with the functional operations of the knotter, wire cutters and ejectors.

The band laying ring Referring more in detail to the drawings, the operating parts of the present machine are mounted in and upon a main frame structure of rectangular, table-like form, having longitudinal top rails Ill and longitudinal bottom rails II at opposite sides, fixed to four corner posts or legs [2. The legs l2 are rigidly joined across the ends of the frame by cross rails l3. Overlying a part of the top of the frame is a cover plate I5. All parts of the frame are welded together or otherwise joined in such manner as to provide a rigid and substantial structure.

Rigidly secured in the main frame, in its longitudinal direction and extending substantially above the cover plate [5, is a rigid and substantially vertical plate It. Formed in this plate .is a circular opening I! of substantial diameter,

and disposed concentrically of this opening is the wire or band laying ring l8 within which the bundle, or box, is received for .binding, as shown in Figure 1.

The ring I 8 is rotatably supported concentrically of the plate opening I! by means of a plurality of spaced wheels 2|, rotatably mounted on studs 2| that are fixed in the plate It, as shown in Figures 7 and 8; each wheel being formed with a circumferential groove in which the inner peripheral edge portion of the ring is received for guided, rotatable support of the ring. The ring l8, as observed particularly in Fig ures 7 and 8, is a flat, annular member, with a cylindrical flange 18' fixed concentrically thereto at one side to serve as adrive wheel about which driving belts are extended, as presently explained. Hingedly mounted within the lower part of th main frame, as observed in Figures 1 and 2, is a platform 25 on which the reversible, electric motor 26, for driving the ring 18, is mounted. The platform 25 is hingedly supported at one end by a horizontal cross shaft Z'l that is mounted at its ends in brackets 28 secured to frame members; the other end of the platform being unthe motor.

The motor 26 operates through a suitable gear reduction, indicatedat 26:10 in Figure 3, to drive the shaft 32 and belt pulley wheel 33, for the direct driving of the ring it in opposite directions, as presently explained, and through its above described belt connection with the motor, the ring may be rotated at a speed that is satisfactory for the present binding operations.

Mounted on the ring I8, on that side shown in Figure 1, are wire guiding and band laying sheaves 40, each of which is freely revoluble on a mounting stud 4| fixed in the ring; each sheave having a circumferential groove in which the Wire strand, as payed out over the sheaves, will be guided.

These sheaves 40 are mounted on the ring l3 in the relationship which will be understood best by reference to Figures 1 and 32, and their arrangement on the ring is such that they will carry the strand of wire, as led from the supply, about a bundle located within the ring, with clearance in either direction of rotation of the ring.

As shown best in Figures 32 to 34, there are two rather closely associated sheaves, designated at 40 and '40, on the ring, from between which the wire strand is payed out from the ring to one or the other of the two grippers GI and G2, presently described,;which holds the end of the wire for a binding operation. The other sheaves 4|] are located on the ring at suitable intervals to properly carry the strand in its application about a bundle in either direction of rotation of the ring.

In threading the machine for use, the end of the wire strand, designated at W, is drawn 01f from the source of supply of wire, passed through a suitable tension means as shown in Figure 1, there extended downwardly and about a weighted slack take-up sheave 46, thence drawn upwardly and over a guide sheave 4'1 fixed on 6, the plate 5, and from this is extended over wire guide sheaves 40 on the ring 18, as presently explained, and at its end is held in one or the other of the paired grippers, GI or G2, depending on the direction of rotation of the ring 18 for the next binding operation.

In Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a bundle, designated by numeral 50, as placed within the ring for binding. To insure the proper positioning and holding of the bundle for binding, guide plates 55 and 55 are fixed vertically and in alignment on the frame structure and in a plane perpendicular to the plane of plate It, to define one sid wall of the bundle passageway through the ring. The opposite side of the passageway is defined by a plate 56a, as noted in Figures 1, 2 and 11. Thezbottom of the passageway is formed by a horizontal plate 49 extended between the opposite side plates 56-55d, and overlying a part of the frame structure as seen in Figure 11.

It is illustrated clearly in Figure 13, that the adjacent, vertical edges of plates 55 and 56 are spaced apart, thus providing a vertical slot 5'1 between them for the passage of the ring is and the laying of the wire band about the bundle by the ring. Likewise, a slot 53, aligned with passage 51, is provided in the bottom plated? for the passage of the wire band as laid by the ring about the under side of the bundle 5b. The bundle, as disposed in the machine for binding, as shown in Figure 11, should have one side disposed closely against the plates 55 and 56 and across the passage 51.

The knotter mechanism The knot twister gear, which is herein designated in its entirety by reference character T, is located closely adjacent that side of the bundle which is placed against the plates 55 and 55, with axis vertical and in the plane of the band as laid by the ring about the bundle. At this location it is inside of the circumference of the ring, as willbe understood best by reference to Figures 32 to 3 4. As shown best in Figures 29 to 31, the twister gear '1 comprises the. toothed body portion 1., from the opposite ends of which coaxial mounting hub portions 59-59 extend. The slot of the gear is designated by numeral and it extends through the gear and to the full length of its hub portions and inwardly to theaxial line of the gear.

Mounting of the twister gear is by means of bearing blocks SI and B2, fixed to the plates and 56 at the outside of the bundle passage and at opposite sides of the passage 51, as has been shown in Figures 29 and 31, and rotatably containing the hub portions of the gear between them. As seen in Figure 31, the adjacent end surfaces of the gear mounting blocks are spaced apart and at the wire receiving side are shaped to provide an outwardly flared mouth 63, leading to the gear slot, for better guiding the wire band thereinto.

, A feature of the twister gear construction is illustrated in Figures 29 and 30, wherein it is shown that the gear slot Bill is of special design, being characterized by having a relatively narrow slotted portion 60 midway of the opposite ends of the gear in which overlapped end portions of the Wire band are received, one upon the other; this portion of the slot being of a width substantially of the diameter of the wire so that the contained portions of the wire will be held securely for the knot twisting operation. At opposite ends of this slotted portion 60 of narrow width, are wider portions .600: leading through to the ends of the hub portions of the gear and of such increased width that overlapped jportions of the wire contained thereinmaywindone upon the other in the twisting operation therein. The bottom surfaces of these wider portions of the slot, as they approach the slottedportion 60', are curved laterally and gradually toward each other and come almost together at the entrance to the slot as is best shown in Figure30.

The particular advantage in this manner of forming the twister gear slot resides in the fact that there is no tendency of the twisted portions of the knot as formed to hang 'up on the shoulders at opposite ends of the narrow portion of the slot such as is experienced in the usual types of twister gears where these shoulders areiformed in planes perpendicular to the gear axis.

Attention is directed to Figures 353637,'for a better understanding of the relationship of the twister gear T to the two grippers which are herein designated diagrammatically and in general by reference characters GI and G2.

The grippers, together with the wire cutters and twister gear driving mechanism, are mounted as a unit within a housing that is fixed on the plate 55 at the outside of the bundle passage, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, where the unit is designated in its entirety by reference character K. In Figures 19 and 20, the unit is shown more in detail. The two grippers GI and G2 are substantially alike in construction, each comprising a stationary jaw and a jaw that is.adapt ed to be moved from and toward the stationary aw.

In Figure 22, the parts comprised by the upper gripper GI are shown. The fixed jaw comprises a metal block 5t, formed at one end with a gripping surface 6%. The movable jaw comprises a jaw member 55 with fiat gripping surface 65 in opposed relationship to surface 54'; the jaw 65 being fixed on or formed at the end of a horizontal bar fit? that is slidably contained in a housing guideway 6? (see Figure 26) for such reciprocal movement as required for moving the jaw 65 toward or away from the jaw'64. The jaw 65 has a rounded outer surface, and it will be understood by reference to Figure 21, that when the movable jaw is in its closed position, it is then disposed outside of the plane of travel of the wire as laid by the ring gear about-the bundle. However, when the jaw is open, it assumes the dotted line position in Figure 22, within the plane of travel of the wire, and will receive the wire therein when laid in the twister gear by the ring.

The gripper G2, shown in Figure 23, likewise comprises a jaw block it with flat gripping surface fil' at one end, and there is a movable jaw '52 with gripping surface '52 in opposed relationship to surface it; this latter .jaw being fixed to the end of a horizontal slide bar 73 that is held in a guideway id for horizontal reciprocal action. The two slide bars, 66 and 13, are vertically spaced and substantially coextensive. Their functional operations are efiected by means which will now be described, with reference to their showing in Figure 13.

Mounted on the supporting plate '55, horizontally aligned with the slide bars 63 and 13, respectively, are air cylinders l8 and '79, containing pistons at that are connected, respectively, by their piston rods 8| to the outer ends of the slide bars, to provide that the 'bars may be reciprocally actuated, incident to application of air under pressure to the cylinders, as presently described, toopen and close the grippers.

The Hair cylinders, 18 and iii, are controlled, respectively, by solenoid valves and B6, mounted on the plate 55 as seen in Figure 13. Each valve has a pipe connection with a source of supply of compressed air indicated by pipe 87, and also has pipe connections 89 and 99 extended therefrom to the inner and outer ends, respectively, of the corresponding air cylinder. Admission of air to the outer end of an air cylinder actuates its piston therein to shift the movable jaw of the corresponding gripper to open position, as for receiving or releasing a wire. Likewise, admission of air to the inner end of the cylinder causes the gripper jaw to be moved to closed position, as for holding a wire. The valve member of each of these solenoid valves which controls admission of air to the pipes 89 and'fiil will be normally held in one position by air pressure from line 87!, and it will be moved to its other position upon energization of the valve solenoid which is'connected thereto.

The functional operations of the grippers GI and G2, respectively, are controlled by the solenoid valves 85 and 86. These valves are adapted to be individually energized and deenergized through control switches 25a} and 251 mounted on the plates 5Ei55a at opposite sides of the bundle passageway, as noted in Figure 11, and connected .in electric circuit as in Figure 38. These switches are actuated between on and off. positions by means presently described operating under control of the ring [8.

K notter drive mechanism The twister gear operating mechanism, the wire cutters and .knot ejectors designated as the unit K are operated by a motor which is independent of the ring driving motor 26 but which operates through-a clutch that is timed also by movements of the ring 53. This latter motor, the clutch and parts associated directly therewith, will now be described with reference more particularly to Figures 2 to 6.

Disposed within the lower portion of the main frame structure, is a hingedly mounted platform 32 on which an electric motor IE4 is mounted. This motor operates through a reduction gear mechanism Hi5 to drive a shaft 5% on which paired sprocket wheels Ill! are fixed. Chain belts [t8 operate about the sprocket wheels fill and about sprocket wheels I99 that are revolubly mounted on a crank shaft lit. The crank shaft is revolubly supported at its ends in bearings HIHI on a horizontal frame H3 which is fixed in the main frame as seen in Figures 1 and 3. A crank arm '6 i6 is fixed on one end of the shaft H fl, and this is pivotally connected as at I ll, to one end of a pitman, designated generally at 5 l8 in Figure 3, which has its other end pivotally connected, as at I 19, to a reciprocally movable cross head I20 fixed to a rack bar I21. The rack bar I2! is supported at one end for reciprocal movement in guidebearings I22 and 22 formed with a'casting 123 that is rigidly mounted on the lefthand end of frame H3 as seen in Figure 1. At its other end, the rack bar is reciprocally contained in a-bearing l 2 mounted on the frame I l3. A vertical shaft I25 for driving the knotter mechanism has its lower end portion revolubly mounted in the casting l 23, as noted in Figures 1 and 13, and at its lower end has a gear wheel I30 keyed thereto in operative mesh with the teeth of rack bar I21 as seen in Figure 3.

Fixed on the upper end portion of shaft I25,

as shown in Figures 13, 19 and 20, is a gear wheel I3I which is a part of the mechanism K and which as seen in Figure 21 meshes with a revolubly mounted idler gear wheel I32, which is in Operative mesh with the twister gear T. The normal position of the twister gear is that which faces its longitudinal slot away from the bundle.

. Reciprocal action of the rack bar I2I in one direction causes the twister gear to rotate from its normal starting position, through three and onehalf turns, to twist together the end portions of a wire band that have been placed therein, to form a flat knot, then after the ends of the band at the outside of the knot have been cut and the band ejected fromthe gear slot, the reciprocal travel of the rack bar in the other directions returns the twister gear through three and onehalf turns, to starting position. The extent of turning of the twister gear in each direction is dependent upon the extent of turning of shaft I25 in opposite directions. This turning, which in the present machine is about 150, is accurately limited in order to properly position the slot of the twister gear for receiving the wire and discharging the band. Thislimiting of the arc of turning of shaft I25 is effected by a stop arm I35, fixed to the shaft I25 just above casting I23, and extended radially therefrom, as shown in Figure 3, for engaging at the opposite ends of a definite arc of travel, with stop bolts I30 and I36 that are adjustably mounted in brackets I31 and I31 fixed to opposite sides of the frame I23 and extended upwardly therefrom.

The clutch mechanism which controls the driving and stopping of the crank shaft I I0, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, comprises the dual sprocket wheel I which is continuously driven by the motor I04 through chain belts I08. The wheel I09 is revolubly mounted on the crank shaft ,I I0 adjacent a wheel I40 that is keyed on the shaft III! to serve as its driving member. The wheel I40 is formed with a circumferential groove I4I and a clutch locking bolt I42 is slidably mounted in the wheel, parallel with its axis, to extend transversely through the base of the groove MI and beyond the face of the wheel, as in Figure 6, to such extent that it may be engaged in driving contact with one of a plurality of lugs I45 formed on the adjacent face of sprocket wheel I09. A coiled spring I45 is contained in the bolt guide bearing I41 and bears against the clutch bolt and urges it toward position for driving contact by one of the sprocket wheel lugs.

A clutch bolt release lever I50 is pivoted at its outer end by a bolt I5I on a bracket I52 fixed in the frame I I3. The other end of the lever rides in the wheel groove I4I, see Figure 5, and at this end has a beveled side surface I52, as seen in Figure 6. It is also shown in Figure 6 that the bolt is formed on its outer side with a cross channel I54 with an angularly sloping side surface I 55. With the rotation of wheel I40 that engages the beveled end surface I52 of the lever with the bolt surface I 55, the bolt will be retracted against the pressure of spring I46 and thus disengaged at its outer end from the sprocket wheel lug to stop the driving of shaft IIO.

A solenoid IE0 is mounted on plate It directly above the lever I50, and the solenoid core IGI is connected to a lug I62 on lever I50 by a link I63. To engage the clutch for a cycle of operations, the solenoid is momentarily energized by means presently described, thus causing the lever I50 to be momentarily lifted from the clutch wheel I40 and the bolt I42 released. Spring I40 then pushes the bolt outwardly, causing it to effect a driving connection between the continuously driven sprocket wheels I09 and wheel I 30, thus to drive the crank shaft H0. The lever I50 immediately drops back into the wheel groove MI and effects disengagement of the clutch bolt from the sprocket, and thus stops the crank shaft upon its making one complete rotation.

It is to be understood that after a wire has been applied about a bundle by the ring, the ends of the band are held secure in the grippers GI and. G2, located adjacent upper and lower ends of the twister gear, while the knot is twisted. Thus it becomes necessary that the wire strand be cut at points between the twisted knot and grippers in order to release the bundle for removal from the machine. The cutting of the wire and ejection of the knot from the slot of the twister gear is herein effected immediately upon completion of the twisting operation and while the gear slot faces toward the bundle, and before the rack bar starts on its return travel to rotate the twister gear back to its normal or starting position.

It is necessary that there shall be a momentary standstill of the twister gear immediately after theknot has been completed and while the gear slot faces the bundle, that will give time for the wire cutting and ejection operations before the twister gear starts on its reverse rotation. This is accomplished by reason of a yieldable, lost motion movement in the pitman rod connection between the crank shaft arm I It and the rack bar I2I. In Figure lot it is noted that the crank arm H6 is pivotally connected at II1 with a cross head I66. The cross head has a limited sliding movement on paired, parallel pitman rods I61I 51 which comprise a part of pitman connection designated by numeral II8. This movement, in one direction,-is limited by the cross head engaging resilient abutments I10 fixed on the rods. It is yieldably limited in the other direction by engaging against coiled springs I1I mounted on the outer ends of the pitman rods. This lost motion in the connection provides that, at the completion of the inward stroke of the rack bar, effected by the cross head Its acting against the abutments I10, the inertia of moving parts will hold them in that position and the twister gear will remain faced toward the bundle until the cross head I66 on the return swing of the crank arm H6 has moved outwardly on rods I 51 and has compressed the springs I1Il to a sufficient amount to overcome the inertia and actuate the rack bar in the return direction. This lost motion interval is so timed and established that the wire cutting and ejection of the band from the twister gear slot will take place while the twister gear is standing still and its slot faced toward the bundle.

Wire cutters The devices for cutting the ends of the Wire strand between the knot and grippers GI and G2 will now be described; reference being directed particularly to Figures 24 and 25 Which illustrate the upper gripper GI, but with the understanding that this description applies equally to the devices for cutting the wire between the knot and lower gripper G2.

This particular unit of the mechanism, embodying knotter gears, wire cutters and ejectors, designated by reference K, is contained in a housing comprising two verticall spaced, and horizontally disposed plates I and HI, that are fixed rigidlyto plate 55 at the out-,

11? side of the :bundle" passage :as seen in. Figuresv 19 and 20.

The knotter drive-shaft I25: on which the gear wheel It! is fixed extends through the plates I88 and liil and is revolubly contained in bearings F82. formed thereon'.. Mounted on" thetop side of the bearing block 6| which. serves as ahub containing hearing at one. sideof' the upper end of the twister gear are spaced:rollers IBEand l85, between which an angularly formed wire cutter shoe E8! is contained. for guided travel. shoe has a toe portion I81: which, with the shoe inits normal position, as in Figure 24, terminates substantially even with theend of block 6| that formsthe near sideof the mouthtB for guiding the wire strand into the gear: slot. The. shoe also has a leg portion I811: that extends outwardly and mounts a rigidlysecured bolt, its as an extension thereof. At its outer end,'.the bolt it is fixed in the outer end portion of a horizontal bar [9! which, at its inner end overlies the upper hub portion is?! of the gear" I3l'. A stud Hi3 extends downwardlythrough:the inner end of the bar l9! for guided travel in a groove I95. that is formed in the hub concentrically of the wheel axis.

The cutter shoe is pulled in a direction away from the twister and'yieldinglyiheld in the position of Figure 24 by a coiled spring let that is attached at one end to a stud l9? fixed in the shoe and at its other end to' a stud I98 that is fixed in the plate I80, see Figure-19.

Mounted on the gear wheel l3! at upper and lower sides, are coiled'springs'wfl, each of which is fixedly mounted at one end on a lug '20] formed on the corresponding side ofthe gear. The other ends of the springs. are free; however, these two springs are retained in guideways provided between the opposite faces of the gear and'plates 2132 and 233 that are fixed in spaced relationship thereto, and closed at the outer'side by a cylindrically curved plate 285 that is fixed to the circumferential edge of thegear l3! to extend to upper and lower sides thereof as best shown in Figure 19.

The normal position of the gear'ltl and springs MiG-2M} is as shown'in Figure 24, but when this gear is rotated in the direction of arrow adjacent thereto by the initial reciprocal action of the rack bar l2l,. the free ends of the coiled springs will be brought into abuting contact with the outer ends of the corresponding bars lQl as in Figure 2-5; and as the pressure of springs 2% overcomes the tension of springs I95, the shoes [3! will. be'shifted' inwardly toward the twister gear and to theposition of Figure 25, against the'wires that are to be cut, but with not enough pressure to cut. them. However, as the gear l3l continues to rotate, the pressure of the springsZllfl is built up and finally studs 2H3, projecting from the upper and lower sides of the gear wheel liil, will engage with the corresponding bars [9! and'cause a positive and final inward movement of the shoes that cuts the wires.

=It is to be understood thatthe primary and secondary end portions of the band that encircles a bundle, and as laiddown'by the ring in a binding operation and as extended from the grippers GI and G2 into the twister gear slot, are drawn tightly over shear blades 2l3 that are mounted by the fixed jaw portions of the grippers. The location of the wire strand that is to be cut is shown in Figure at WI. The wire held in the lover gripper across the lower cutter blade is s in Figure 23 at W2. The cutter shoes l3? have sharpened edges at 2.! t. By? the clockwise rotationof gear 13! in the knot twisting. opera-- tion,.these edges 2 Hi are brought. against thewires for the cutting operation. As soon as thewires are'cut, the shoes [8? are'released. andthe force stored up in the compressed springs 2% causes themto be driven forcibly againstthe bandcto eject the knot from the gear slot and also to kick the bundle away from the plates 55 and 56; This band ejecting position of the shoes is shown in dotted lines in Figure 25. Lugs 2E5 on the inner end portions of; the shoes will engage the housingrto limit the extent or" travel of the shoes under force of the springs 258. A positive return oi the-shoes it? is insured byreae sonofsstuds 2 is mounted in upperand lower faces of the gear; 13! in positionto engage the'corre sponding bars with thereturn of gear tilt in counter-clockwise direction. to itsstarting'posi- To insure that the end of the wire band will not be-pull'ed" from a gripper during this initial part of'any wire laying operation, I provide each movable-gripper jaw, on its inner face, with a small, inwardlyxextended boss 232,see Figure 23a, designed to be received in' a socket 234 in the face of the stationary jaw. When the mov able. jaw is open, this boss is entirely clear of the stationary jaw surface, and presents no interference to reception of the wire strandinto the-base ofthe gripper mouth. When themovable jaw. is closed; the wire will lie back of this boss and with the reversing of the'ringfor each band laying operation, the end of the wire'will be bent back around this stud as a hook that retains the wiresecure in the jaw. After the wire has been cut, this hook portion will drop out with the opening of the jaw.

One of the novelieaturesof: the present invention resides in the provision of means wherebythe unjoined ends ofthewire band will be prevented from being drawn laterally from the twister gear slot during the first turn of thegear ina twisting operation. For better understand.-- ing of this feature, it may be explained that there is a tendency, due to the fact that the twister gear'issomewhat outside of the plane of the near sideof the bundle, for the taut band to draw out of the gear slot'as the gear makes that first halt turn that faces its slot toward the bundle and before the overlapped portions Of the band contained in the slot have been twisted together. This tendency of thebandto pull out from the gear slot becomes greater if the bundle should not be placed closely up against the-plates that define that side of the bundle passage.

The means which I have provided to overcome this possibility of one or both end portions of the band pulling out'of the gear slot is illustrated in Figures 2"! and 28, wherein it is provided that the block 10 which mounts the lower wire cutter blade thereon is slidably mounted in the gripper slide bar housing for limited retractive movement. Thecutter blade 2135s, as applied to this lower block, is extended to suchlength that, except' when the block is retracted, the blade will extend just beyond the. plane of the band as wrapped about thebundle and just beyond the twister gear slot, and will serve, when so extended, to form a support for the unjoined ends of the band as applied about the bundle and through the slot, that will hold them in the gear slot as the gear first turns toward the bundle.

It is necessary, however,. for this blade 2l3a:

to be retracted to clear. the. wire band for release from the twister gear twisting operation, and prior to cutting of the immediately following the ends of the wire and ejection of the knot from the gear. This is accomplished by retraction of the block it to which the blade is attached. To

actuate the block to a retracted position, and to hold it there for a limited period during which the gripped end of the wire is cut, the band ejected and the bundle removed from the machine, I mount a cam shaft 235 vertically and rotatably in the guideway housing members for the lower gripper bar as shown in Figure 28. The cam shaft extends at its upper end into a recess 235 in the block is and is there provided with a flattened cam surface as shown at 231 in Figure 27a.

A pair of coiled springs 238 contained in end sockets on block To act against the end wall 239 of the housing and against the block to urge it toward its extended position as shown in Figure with the actuation of the lower cutter shoe 181,

this end of the wire will be cut to release the bundle for removal from the machine.

To rotate the cam shaft 235, and thus to effect the shifting of the blade carrying block 18, I

provide the said cam shaft, at its lower end, with a radially extending lever arm 24B, and on the twister gear driving shaft I25 I provide a cam 24! as shown in Figures 19, 20 and 27.

With the rotative action of the shaft 125 that takes place during the knot twisting operation, the cam 24! acts against the lever arm 24!] and effects that rotation of cam shaft 235 that results in the retractive movement of the block, thus to shift the blade 2133: out of the way of the band for its ejection from the gear slot. With the return movement of the shaft I25 toward, starting position, the cam 24l disengages arm 240 and the parts resume the normal position as in Figure 2'? under the pressure of springs 238.

It will be understood that with the retraction of the block it], the movable gripper jaw asso-- ciated with the block moves therewith, due to the pressure against its controlling piston, and does not release hold on its end of the wire band.

Control mechanism.

The reversing of the driving motor 2%, to reverse the direction of rotation of the ring 18 for successive binding operations, is accomplished through use of a conventional reversing switch designated at 244 in Figure 38 and shown in Figure 2 as mounted on plate Hi. This is used in conjunction with two limit switches, 246 and 2M mounted on the plates 56 and 55a at opposite sides of the bundle passageway, and which operate. respectively, to stop the machine upon completion of binding cycles in opposite directions. Also, the solenoid valves 85 and as which,

respectively, control the operations of the grippers Gl and G2, have the control switches 255 and 25!, previously mentioned; these switches also being mounted on the plates 56 and 56a. Circuit connections for the switches are shown in Figure 38.

The functional operation of the switches 24B, 241, 250 and 25! are timed and controlled by devices mounted on shafts 253 and 254, the locations of which, with respect to opposite side of the bundle passage and ring, are shown in Figures 2. 7 and 11. Shafts 253 and 254 are independent of each other and are revolubly mounted by bearing brackets 260 and 26I that are fixed on the vertical plates 56 and 56a. Shaft 253 has devices thereon for timing the sequence of the binding operations that take place in one direction of rotation of ring [8, while shaft 254 has like device thereon which time the sequence of operations in the other direction of rotation. Means for actuation of shafts 253 and 254 will now be described, particularly with reference to Figures '7 to 10.

Fixed on the inner end portions of shaft 253 and 254, respectively, and adjacent the ring i8, are ratchet wheels 255 and 256. Each ratchet wheel has eight teeth; those of one wheel facing opposite those of the other. These ratchet wheels are designed to be rotatably advanced, respectively, by pawls 210 and 2' that are pivotally mounted on the ring i8 as best shown in Figure 7.

Pawl 210 actuates the shaft 253 by contact with a tooth of ratchet wheel 255 when the ring rotates in one certain direction. Pawl 27! l, likewise, actuates shaft 254 by contact with a tooth of ratchet wheel 256 when the ring rotates in the other direction. Each time either ratchet wheel is operatively engaged by its actuating pawl, in passing, the shaft which mounts the ratchet is rotated through a forty-five degree interval and, as will presently be explained, each wheel is twice operatively engaged by its pawl in each binding cycle by reason of the ring 1 8 making more than one complete turn.

The ratchet actuating pawls 2') and 21! are angularly spaced on the ring [8 about as noted in Figure 7, and each pawl is pivotally mounted on the ring by a pivot bolt 282, and engages against a stop 283 to limit its turning in one direction, and a spring 285 is fixed thereto and to the ring to yieldingly hold the pawl extended to a position at which, in rotation of the wheel. in one direction, it will be caused in passing the corresponding ratchet wheel to engage a tooth thereof and. advance the wheel one interval, that is, oneeighth turn. When the ring rotates in a reverse direction, this pawl pivots on its bolt and merely rides over the ratchet wheel and avoids turning it in the reverse direction.

Fixed on the shafts 253 and 254 are switch actuator wheels 214 and 2'54, each of which comprises a circular disk formed with four equally spaced rises 214a, as shown in Figure 17. These wheels are designed to control the on and off positions of the switches 25!} and 255. The actuator levers 250' and 25I of these switches engage with the edges of these wheels, and when a lever is resting on a rise of its actuator wheel, the switch that is controlled thereby will be on and the circuit which it controls will be closed.

Also fixed on the shafts 253 and 254 are star wheels 28!] and 288', each having four equally spaced radial arms, as shown in Figure 16, that are designed, incident to rotative advance of the wheels by the turning of their mounting shafts, to operatively engage with and actuate the switch levers 246' and 241' of the corresponding limit switches 245 and 241.

Fixed on the shafts 253 and 254, at their outer ends, are indexing wheels 233" and 283, each formed with eight equally spaced peripheral notches 285. Pivotally fixed on the adjacent mounting plates 56 or 5611, adjacent each indexing Wheel, is a lever arm 286 with a roller 231i at its 

